Passing Down Hope
by Gotag
Summary: Written for a project on the Ava Portal Forums: In order to protect his village from a war between Wolves and Polar Bears, Hakoda must train young teens as well as a boy that reminds him of his son, Sokka.


Chapter One

Sitting cross-legged at a distance, the Water Tribe father of both Sokka and Katara watched the little boy warrior who seemed to be having difficulties training with no trainer by his every side.

Hakoda sat on a large snow mound near his hometown village of the Southern Tribe. After the long and many years after the 100-year war's end, the chief has truly had nothing to do. No new wars or attacks have come to the doorstep of his Tribe. He rarely ever sees his kids or his kids' friends, such as the Avatar. They are all too busy with things to do that Hakoda does not know about.

All he has been doing in those many years is helping rebuild the Tribe after the war. He has also had to rebuild it after it has been attacked by many packs of deadly animals and life threatening blizzards. Both of which have stopped after a few years, leaving Hakoda with, yet again, nothing to do.

But now he felt like he had a new task. Something he wasn't able to do for his own children since he had been at battle in various places. He was going to help any child through his or her years into adult hood.

The idea came to mind as he watched the small teen before him practice. Remembering that it was his partner, Bato, who took Sokka and Katara Ice Dodging, not him, their own dad. So it was decided that he would train any child in his tribe who was going through their teen years, to become a warrior.

His only problem was that he could only teach them how to use weapons and their own hands. For he is not a bender of any sort. But teaching others how to fight with many or just one weapon can still be considered a handy skill.

The tribal chief got up from sitting on his mound. He swiped off any snow that stuck to the rear of his blue pants and made his way to the little warrior boy with no trainer.

"Looks like you need a bit of help!" Hakoda said with a cheerful smile towards the boy. The boy had just heard his voice after he spun around and fell into the snowy ground from swinging the very heavy club he held.

"Huh? You mean you can teach me how to fight and stuff?" the boy asked in a cute and pre-puberty voice. Hakoda helped the boy up onto his feet. An image of Sokka's young face appeared in Hakoda's eyes when he noticed that the boy's paint mask was very similar to his son's.

Hakoda showed the same warm smile again, "Of course I can. But there is something I wish to ask you first. Can you answer it for me?" Hakoda got onto one knee and place his left palm on the boy's shoulder.

With a nod the boy replied, "I guess so…"

"What do you think of when I say the name 'Sokka'?" he asked with nothing but pure curiosity. The boy's eyes suddenly became very large as a big smile spread across his small face.

"Sokka! He's my hero! I wish to grow up to be just like him!" he danced around with glee and joy as he thought of his hero. The father of the boy's hero let out a chuckle as he stood back up on both feet.

"Ok then, after knowing that. Shall we begin to train?" he asked and the boy suddenly stopped dancing with a worried face, "What's the matter?"

"Well… I just wanted to know if you could teach me Sokka's fighting style. Would you be able to?" he asked as the head of the club smash into the ground from being to heavy for him to hold.

"Of course," the father replied. After all, Hakoda helped Sokka with some of his training before both went onto separate paths.

So on the two went to practicing. Hakoda exchanged the boy's large club for one of his own spears that he made for the Black Sun Invasion. The difference for the boy improved greatly for the spear's weight as perfect for him that he had no trouble carrying it with two or one hand.

After hours of swinging and piercing at snow mounds with his new spear, the boy finally became tired and crashed into a mound he did the least damage to. His painted mask started to melt from the warm sweat that rolled on his face. Hakoda, too, was a bit tired as well and he sat by the boy with heavy breaths coming in and out.

He watched the boy become mesmerized by the cool design and style the spear was made in. A weapon he instantly fell in love with.

"You know… I never got what you're name was," Hakoda said, the words of his voice snapped the boy from the hypnotizing spear.

"Oh… I'm Zaikukan. But if that's too long for you, just use my nickname Zaika."

"Ok then, Zaika. How about we meet back here tomorrow at noon and we can continue training. How's that sound?" Hakoda suggested using the same smile he used when meeting the boy.

"Ok! I'll be here! I promise!" Zaika jumped onto his feet with a happy voice and he noticed the sun began flying downwards, "Uh oh! I better get home quick!"

Hakoda stood up to the boy and looked at the sun down as well, "Do you live in the village that is just east of here?"

"Well if east is that way," the boy said while pointing in a certain direction, "Then, yes I do!"

Hakoda followed his finger and it was pointing east, and to the village where he had lived, "Good. I can take you home for I live there as well."

Hakoda gave one last smile to the boy and both went n their way to the village they both lived in.


End file.
